Most electrical systems including electronic computing and control systems, utilize circuits that are mounted on boards called printed circuit boards or PCBs. Oftentimes due to either space limitations or other design criteria the electrical power used by a PCB is generated or sourced from a power supply or other circuit that is separate from the PCB. A power connector is commonly used to supply power to the PCB and includes a series of pins that plug into mating sockets to form an electrical connection with the PCB and another set of pins that plug into mating sockets on the power supply or source. Power is typically provided in the form of one or more power rails and one or more return or ground rails. Within an electrical system there may be multiple power grids, either due to the need to electrically isolate some circuits from one another or simply the fact that different electrical components may require different power supplies such as different voltage levels and current capacities.
Known power connectors however have significant design limitations, including poorly controlled or relatively high impedance, low power density and limited design flexibility so that to increase the size of a connector involves costly retooling. The inability to control the impedance of a power connector oftentimes produces unwanted noise coupling.